TAKE a guess at which Celtic player can boast a 100 per cent passing completion record in more than one game this season.

Believe it or not, it’s the one at the back. Right at the back. The player who when the ball is at his feet can at home games sense that the best part of 60,000 people would prefer him to launch it. After all, if goalies could play football then they wouldn’t be goalies.

Craig Gordon knows full well that when he elects to find a team-mate with either a short or long pass, especially if he’s made the cardinal sin of taking a touch to weigh up his options, the majority of Celtic Park would far rather he simply booted it up field.

He has bad news for those panic merchants.

Brendan Rodgers wants his side to play out from the back, starting with the guy in goal. If that doesn’t happen, and Gordon found this out for himself in Rodgers's first season, then someone else will get the chance to play the sweeper-keeper role.

There have been times when this Celtic side have invited trouble at the back. And on occasion the invite was accepted. It is a risky strategy. Safety would be hoofing the ball back to the opposition. It’s what happened for 120 years.

Football has changed. The role of goalkeeper has changed. Supporters now need to get with the times.

“At the weekend I had 100 percent pass completion,” revealed a proud Gordon. “We didn’t play long at all. We managed to play through the lines really well and that’s something we always work on.

“It’s something fans have to get used to. Getting 100 percent is not something that happens very often for a goalkeeper because there are times you have to go long. But to complete every single pass is something fans expect no matter if it’s ten or 60 yards.

“The coaches look at it over the season, the passes and the areas I pass it in to, and statistically over the season it’s very good. People maybe don’t look in to that side too much and think every single one should be completed.

“It’s something the coaches are looking for, is that kind of detail. It’s not just keeping the ball out of the net. It’s did I play the right ball in the right areas, was it quick enough, was it to the right player?

“There’s a lot more to it now but it’s enjoyable. There’s definitely been improvement in recent months and years.

“I’ve managed 100 percent a few times. I’ve done it a few times in recent weeks. It tends to happen at Celtic Park but we had it at Dundee the other week as well. It can happen from time to time but it’s not always the way we play. Sometimes the manager will set us up to play a little longer. It depends on the personnel and the opposition.

“We are a passing team but it’s not always the tactic. It’s a mixture that’s up to the manager and coaches and I’ll sit with Stevie Woods (goalkeeping coach) in the build up to games to decide on exactly how I’ll go.”

Gordon is no Xavi but he can play a bit. And he’s under orders. It’s always amusing to watch the reaction of his manager when he does punt it long or a pass doesn’t make its intended target.

It's shake of the head even if his team are comfortably ahead.

The Celtic goalkeeper, who is having another fine season, will continue to take these calculated risks on Thursday night against Red Bull Salzburg. A draw would do the league leaders but that’s not on their mind.

And neither is playing football from the dark ages.

“I don’t think we can play for a point,” said Gordon. “Obviously, things can change as the game progresses, depending on what we need and that could influence what happens but, to begin with, we’ll be going out to win.

“So we’ll still play our way and pass the ball out from the back. That sets up our attacks and it would take something away from the team and the other guys further up the pitch for if we didn’t do that.

“We’ll try and build the game; there will be no change from that point of view. People say it’s risky but we don’t lose too many goals as a result of it. For me, the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages. Of course, we’ll get caught out from time to time because everybody does but over the course of a season we’ll get more joy from it.”

Should Celtic finish second in their group, Salzburg are already through with a 100 per cent record, it would be no mean feat.

Not many teams start right at the very beginning of the Champions League and then get to the last 32 of the Europa League.

And the competition does get really good next year.

“We’d love to be in the draw for the last 32 and see what happens from there,” said Gordon. There will be some really big teams in there and you have the Champions League sides dropping in as well.

"We already landed two very big names in our group and it would be great to put ourselves in the position to get one of those.”